Name
Alfred Geary
1893
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
19/07/1918
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
20/313
West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own)
15th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LONGUENESSE (ST. OMER) SOUVENIR CEMETERY
V. C. 77.
France
Headstone Inscription
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
UK & Other Memorials
John Dickinson & Co Memorial, Apsley Mills, Not on the Berkhamsted memorials
Pre War
Alfred Geary was born in Berkhamsted in 1893, the son of Arthur and Louisa Geary and one of eight children. He was baptised on 14 August 1895 at St Michaels and All Angels Church, Sunnyside, Berkhamsted, at the same time as sisters Constance, Gertrude and Edith and brother Arthur. They were then living at George Street and his father was a foreman mechanic.
On the 1901 Census the family were living in the High Street. Berkhamsted where his father was working as a Foreman at the Chemical Works. They remained in High Street, Berkhamsted in 1911 at which time, Alfred was working as a labourer for a paper manufacturer (probably John Dickinsons).
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Berkhamsted and served with the 15th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales' Own). The medal index card suggests that he also served with the 11th and 15/17th Battalions.
He died of wounds on 19 July 1918, aged 25, and is buried in Longunesse (St Omer) Souvenir Cemetery, France.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £10 10s and pay owing of £10 1s 8d. His father, Mr A Geary, of 18 High Street, Gt Berkhamsted, Herts., ordered his headstone inscription: "GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN".
No pensions records have yet been found.
N.B. Although an initial search of the CWGC website shows the date of death for Alfred Geary as 19 July 1916, original CWGC documents and index entry, give date of death as 19 July 1918, as do the medal index card, medal roll, and Soldiers Died in the Great War records. The 1918 date also corresponds with his given age as 25, having been born in 1893. (CWGC have been informed).
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.rectorylanecemetery.org.uk
